ACL Awards $4.7 Million for Disability and Rehabilitation Research

On November 2, 2026, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced seven new Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) grants through the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The awards total approximately $4.7 million in first-year funding and support projects expected to run for three to five years. Individual projects will receive between $500,000 and $850,000 annually. The announcement describes completed awards, not a request for proposals or an opportunity to submit applications for these projects.

The DRRP program funds research, demonstrations, training, and related activities intended to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology. ACL says the selected projects are designed to improve community living, employment, health and function, research infrastructure, and access to research-based information for people with disabilities. The portfolio spans assistive technology, chronic injury, spinal cord injury, employment for deaf people, knowledge translation, and traumatic brain injury data infrastructure. This breadth gives prospective applicants and research organizations a useful view of areas receiving federal support, but does not guarantee that future solicitations will use the same topics or award structure.

For contractors, universities, nonprofit research organizations, and rehabilitation providers, the announcement is most useful as a market signal rather than an immediate sales or proposal opportunity. Organizations can compare their capabilities, partnerships, and evidence base with the funded work, especially where projects combine research with demonstrations, community implementation, accessible technology, or dissemination. The mix of institutional awardees also illustrates the collaborative and specialized nature of this grant portfolio. Organizations interested in future funding should monitor Grants.gov and NIDILRR announcements, including opportunities associated with Assistance Listing 93.433; the seven grants announced here are not available for new proposals.

The awards include technology development for independent living, community programs addressing long-term health and participation, peer support and resilience research, employment services, and national research information resources. Named projects include an online assistive-technology platform for older adults, an AI-enabled wheelchair-mounted assistive robot, and a career exploration and networking program for deaf students. The source also identifies a national data and statistical center for traumatic brain injury model systems. Taken together, the awards suggest continued federal interest in translating disability research into practical tools, services, and information while sustaining research infrastructure and improving community outcomes.

• Seven DRRP grants were announced by ACL through NIDILRR on November 2, 2026.
• The awards total approximately $4.7 million in first-year funding; individual projects receive $500,000–$850,000 per year for three to five years.
• The program supports research, demonstrations, training, and related work to develop rehabilitation methods, procedures, and technology.
• Georgia Tech Research Corporation’s ACCESS for Aging Well with AT (Aging Well 2.0) further develops an online platform helping older adults identify assistive technology and accommodations for aging in place.
• Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Corporation will develop and test community-based self-management for adults living with chronic burn injury; the Medical University of South Carolina will study resilience and peer support among people with spinal cord injury.
• The University of Wisconsin System project develops AI-enabled, wheelchair-mounted assistive robotics to support daily activities and independence for people with significant upper-limb disabilities.
• The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, led by the American Institutes for Research, shares research-based resources related to spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and burn injury.
• The University of Texas at Austin project, Deafverse Career Connections, focuses on career exploration, professional networks, and informed career decisions for deaf students.
• The announced portfolio also includes the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Data and Statistical Center, which maintains and strengthens a large longitudinal database; the source excerpt does not identify its award amount.
• Treat this announcement as a funding-priority signal, not an open competition. Prospective applicants should monitor Grants.gov, NIDILRR notices, and Assistance Listing 93.433 for future opportunities.